Enjoy offline playlists with MixRadio for Android and iOS

Nokia´s radio, MixRadio is now available for Android and iOS, so we decided to try it and see if it is worth the download.

First of all, MixrRadio is only compatible with Android 4.1 or above, which is a shame, considering 5.3 per cent of worldwide users still run Android 2.3 Gingerbread. If you have an iPad or iPhone, you will need iOS 8 or above to enjoy the radio service.

You also need an account. You can either use your Facebook, Google+, Windows ID or email to start “mixing”, although we wish we could avoid registration completely.

Once you have a free account, a screen divided into 4 sections will appear: “My mix”, with a heart button and list of genres/artists to start a customized playlist; a set of pre-established mixes based on genres and themes; recently played mixes with a “+” button to start a new mix; and “Offline” mixes, where you can have access the playlists you download.

We think the latter is the best feature. You can download up to four two-hour mixes, and enjoy them for 30 days at no charge, in case you want to avoid relying on your mobile data when on the go.

MixRadio has a pretty simple and straightforward interface. Choose a mix to see a chronometer on the upper left side of the main screen; press on the white numbers to get to the music player, where you can play, skip, like and dislike a song.

Keep in mind you can only skip 6 tracks every hour, even if you download a mix for offline playing. The music player displays a tiny ad at the bottom of the screen, and we didn´t get any audio ads – something that may change once you use the app continuously.

We think MixRadio may be a good alternative for people who are in the lookout for a good radio app. The “plus” side here is that MixRadio enables you to download 4 playlists to your device – perfect for those moments when there is no Wi-Fi connection around and you don’t want to spend your 3G data allowance.

Did you try MixRadio? What do you think of the Android app? Let us know in the comment section below.